Antique (Family) Bible (Statenbijbels) and books in the Dutch Language

How to browse through our Bibles:

All Bibles are listed in order of publishing date. For each Bible there is a seperate detailed webpage with many, many more pictures that you can reach by clicking on the title of the Bible or at the 'more details' link at the end of the description.

A note on the quality of our Antique Bibles:

We take great pride in the quality of the Bibles we offer. We cannot replace missing pages or undo water damage and so on, but we do make sure that the binding of the pages as well as the covers is in good (daily) useable condition. Therefore most Bibles go through a restoration process where the spines are cleaned of old failing adhesive and loose pages or broken signatures are restored/replaced. Old spine leather is reinforced or replaced and spine reinforcement is applied with new headbands and the cover hinge is extra re-enforced. Also the cover leather is cleaned and treated and if applicable the clasps are cleaned and restored. This is not just a patch job! This process brings the strength of the book back to its original quality!

Purchasing an Antique Family Bible or an early King James or Geneva Bible:

The 'Delftse Bijbel' is generally considered to be
the first printed Dutch-language Bible in 1477.

The 'Statenvertaling' of 1637 (by many considered
the 'Dutch version of the King James) is still an often used
translation in the more conservative Christian circles. The name 'Statenvertaling'
is used because this translation was ordered by the Dutch Congress
(called 'the Staten Generaal'). The text was directly translated into
Dutch from the original languages Hebrew and Greek.

As next generations of Dutch translations date to
the 20th century (like the 'Nederlands Bijbelgenootschap' translation
of 1951 and 'de Goed Nieuws Bijbel' of 1983) all found Bible texts in
19th century and earlier Dutch Bibles is likely to be the 'Statenvertaling'

The very FIRST EDITION of the Dutch 'Statenbijbel': a folio Netherlands - Dutch- Bible/Bijbel/Biblia from 1637 (signed 1639) printed by Paulus Aertsz. van Ravensteyn, of Leyden in a very fine condition. It has dark leather covers (likely original) with metal corners and center piece. which has been professionally restored/rebacked with 2 fully functional metal clasps and a 5 raised band spine. In the front of the Bible is a (beautifully illustrated) general title page (also showing the skyline of the city of Leiden which is characteristic for the first edition prints of the Statenm Bible), "Acte van Authorifatie" and a "nieuw Regifter des Ouden Teftaments" (index to the Old Testament) and other prelims. The Text of the Old Testament is followed by a title page to the New Testament, an introduction and the New Testament itself, the New Testament text and a "nieuw Regifter des Nieuwen Teftaments" (index to the New Testament). Next a title page for the Apocrypha, a "Waerfchouwinge aen de lesers van de apocryphe boecken" (a warning to the readers of the apocryphal books) and the Apocrypha themselves. The text is printed in a decorative black gothic font.

The Bible contains the complete text of the Old and New Testament ("Statenvertaling').

The text of the Bible has VERY extensive study notes/remarks on the bottom of each page and contains elaborate introductions to each books of the Bible. Each book starts with a beautifully illustrated first letter engraving with a relevant Bible scene (see some of the pictures). ALL title pages are present! The Bible's binding, and spine/covers are in good working order (treat with care as always). The leather is supple and has blind stamped decorations. All pages are present. There are some occasional stains from the past, but no loss of any text or even a serious distraction. Title page with some edge repairs. COMPLETE book! A very attractive and desirable antique piece of history. A RARE First Edition of the Dutch Statenbijbel. ...click for more details ...

A GORGEOUS large folio Netherlands - Dutch
(Nederlands) -
Bible/Bijbel/Biblia
from 1690 with its original (restored) leather covers and brass
ornaments as well as the complete set of the famous large maps in
astounding detail, printed by the renowned Jacob and Hendrik Keur in
Dordrecht!

This Bible has a brown
beautifully tooled
leather cover with a 6 raised band spine and is decorated with all
(a total of 8, a complete set) brass corner pieces, a metal decoration on the front
and back cover and 2 fully functional clasps. The
Bible contains the complete text of the Old and New Testament ("Statenvertaling'):
"Biblia, dat is de gantfche H. Schrifture, vervattende alle de
Canonijcke Boecken des Ouden en des Nieuwen Testaments, ... te
Dordrecht by Hendrick and Jacob Keur en t'Amsterdam by Marcus
Doornick in compagniee. Anno 1690".

The text of the Bible has
extensive study notes/remarks on the side of the text and contains a
section with introductions to the books of the Bible. It is also
bound with the full text of the Apocrypha (at the end of the Bible).
The complete set of 6 full page fold-out maps are present: one of the World (showing
only a partial map of North America and Australia - as much of that
had not been mapped by then, and showing California as an ISLAND!); one of the Garden of Eden ('het Paradijs'), one of Jerusalem, one of the
40-year voyage of the Israelites through the desert, one of
the Promised Land and one showing the travels of the apostle Paul.
The maps contain an AMAZING detail and perfection!

A GORGEOUS large folio Netherlands - Dutch
(Nederlands) -
Bible/Bijbel/Biblia
from 1700 with its original (restored) leather covers and brass
ornaments as well as the complete set of the famous large maps,
printed by the renowned Jacob, Hendrik and Pieter Keur in
Dordrecht!

This Bible has a brown
beautifully tooled (original)
leather cover with a 6 raised band spine and is decorated with all
(a total of 8, a complete set) brass corner pieces, a metal decoration on the front
and back cover and 2 fully functional clasps. The
Bible contains the complete text of the Old and New Testament ("Statenvertaling'):
"Biblia, dat is de gantfche H. Schrifture, vervattende alle de
Canonijcke Boecken des Ouden en des Nieuwen Testaments, ... te
Dordrecht by Hendrick, Jacob and Pieter Keur Anno 1700".

The text of the Bible has
extensive study notes/remarks on the side of the text and contains a
section with introductions to the books of the Bible. It is also
bound with the full text of the Apocrypha (at the end of the Bible).
The complete set of 6 full page fold-out maps are present: one of the World (showing
only a partial map of North America (showing California as an
ISLAND!!) and Australia - as much of that
had not been mapped by then); one of the Garden of Eden ('het Paradijs'), one of Jerusalem, one of the
40-year voyage of the Israelites through the desert, one of
the Promised Land and one showing the travels of the apostle Paul.
The maps contain an AMAZING detail!

A Netherlands - Dutch- Bible/Bijbel/Biblia
from the 1700's in a well preserved and
sound condition. This one was likely used to brin gto chruch services
as a Church Book. It has a full leather cover with blind stamped
decorations and two fully functional and brass/leather hasps/locks. The
Bible contains the complete text of the Old and New Testament ("Statenvertaling'). The
text of the Bible has various remarks on the side of the
text and contains a section with introductions to the books of the
Bible.

It is bound with "het Boek der Psalmen" (book
of psalms), with all Biblical psalms set to music and "Met
Enige andere Lofsangen", a collection of hymns used in the Churches
services - printed in 1723. The last section of this extensive Bible
contains a Catechism.

Nicely engraved title page, and numerous woodcut devices and initials.
Decorated initials and colophons. All title pages present.

Engraved frontis & engraved portrait of Martin Luther. Additional
printed title. Separate half titles to second part of O/T and also
the Apochrypha. Printed title page to the New Testament. The plates are split into 148 single full page plates plus 15 double
page plates (148 + 30 leaves of plates= 178 leaves). In excellent condition for a bible that is nearly 300 years old.
Bound in full contemporary calf binding over thick beveled oak
boards. Restored in antiquarian quality. The bible has been respined
and the old leather relaid. Blind tooled windows and central lozenge
to both boards. Heavy raised bands. With all plates and maps still
present. In very good, clean condition with only minimal reading
wear. Some paper edge wear, small smudges etc throughout (see
pictures). Two original metal corners to each board along with the
original hasps on each board. (No leather clasps present).

In a WELL PRESERVED condition: an extensive
and comprehensive 1868 Illustrated (Dutch language) Antique Family
Bible. This very large (15"x12") Family Bible has intricate
decorated covers and spine, all with the gold-letter text "Bijbel". The Bible text is
the (Dutch - Netherlands) Statenbijbel (State Bible) for the Old and New Testaments. A large Netherlands Bijbel of the end of the 19th
century containing the complete text of the Old and New Testament
and the Apocrypha ("Statenvertaling'):
"Biblia, dat is de gansche Heilige Schrifture vervattende alle de canonijke boecken des Ouden en
des Nieuwen Testaments door last van de
Hooh-Mog.Heeren Staten Generael van de Vereenighde Nederlanden en
volgens het besluit van de synode-nationaal gehouden te Dordrecht, in
de jaren 1618 ende 1619 uyt de oorspronckelicke talen in onze
Nederlandsche tale getrouwelick overgeset."

Besides a number of full page exquisite
engravings/illustrations, this Bible also has a very extensive
commentary included with the text as chapter introductions and a very
large number of side notes and footnotes. The Bible has special metal
points mounted on the back to support the Bible as it is read and
stored. Large fold-out map in the back of the Bible.

A folio size Netherlandse Family Bijbel (Dutch language family Bible) of the 1890-1900 period with a gold decorated/embossed leather cover (showing scenes of the Bible) as well as gold embossed lettering and the text "BIJBEL" on the front and spine and 2 silver, fully operational clasps, printed by A.J. Holman in Philadelphia in cooperation with A.W. Sijthoff in Leiden. This is a rare find as this is one of the very FEW Dutch language Bibles printed by Holman here in America. Holman is the publisher of the majority of the famous illustrated family Bibles of the 1880ies-1890ies in English and also printed quite a few in German and some of the Skandinavian languages but only very few were ever translated to and printed in Dutch.

The Bible contains the complete text of the Old and New Testament ("Statenvertaling'). It is extensively illustrated with full page exquisite black and white (including a number of Gustave Dore galleries) and color engravings/illustrations (chromolithographs) and color maps. The Bible also has a very extensive commentary included with the text as chapter introductions and a very large number of side notes and footnotes. Included are also the Thorvaldsen and Hoffman Galleries of illustrations and a book of Psalms and Hymns set to music plus the Catechism for the Dutch Reformed Church.

There is a blank presentation page in the front and a marriage page and family records pages in the middle. Also pages for family pictures at the end of the Bible.